Course Grade Grievance Procedure

An eligible course grade grievance results from an allegation of improper academic
evaluation.

Improper academic evaluation includes evidence of instructor error in calculating
or reporting a final grade; evidence that the evaluation criteria noted in the syllabus
were not followed; evidence that the evaluation criteria noted in the syllabus were
not followed consistently when grading students in the same class.

Academic evaluation that is not eligible includes dissatisfaction with the evaluation
criteria noted in the syllabus; dissatisfaction with the level of difficulty or work
load associated with the course; objections regarding the style or quality of the
instructor's teaching.

Step 1: Resolution at the School Level

A student who wishes to question a final course grade is expected to discuss the matter
first with the course instructor within the first 20 business days of the term subsequent
to the term in which the disputed course grade was awarded. This discussion can take
place in person, in writing, or via University email account. It is anticipated that,
in most cases, this discussion will suffice and the matter will not need to be carried
further. Schools and colleges that have departmental chairs (e.g., Arts and Sciences)
will require students to meet with the chair of the department prior to Step 2.

Step 2: Mediation

If the student grievance is not resolved through discussion with the instructor, the
student may submit a Course Grade Grievance Form (hereinafter referred to as the "grievance
form"), along with any documents that the student believes support the grievance.
The grievance form and supporting documents must be submitted to the dean's office.
The grievance should be filed in the school, in the office of the dean in which the
course is being offered within the first 20 business days after the completion of
Step 1.

Note: The grievance forms will be housed in the dean's office of the College of Arts
and Sciences, the Graham School of Management, and the School of Nursing and Health
Sciences.

Once the grievance form is received by the dean, the formal course grade grievance
process begins and the dean sends the paperwork to a mediator, selected by the dean
for the case (a mediator may serve more than once). The mediator has 15 business days
from receipt of the grievance form in which to complete Step 2.

If the mediator determines that a student grievance is not eligible to be resolved
under this course grade grievance policy, the mediator indicates "Ineligible" on the
grievance form, completes the rationale section, and distributes copies of the form
to the student, the faculty member, the faculty member's immediate administrative
superior and the dean.

The student can provide a written appeal of the mediator's decision to the dean if
applicable. The dean will either uphold the mediator's decision or grant the appeal
and begin Step 3. The dean will send official notification of the decision to the
student, the faculty member, the faculty member's immediate administrative superior
and the mediator.

Eligible Course Grade Grievance

If the student submits a grievance that is eligible to be resolved under this course
grade grievance policy, the mediator should inform the student of the course grade
grievance process.

The mediator sends a copy of the student's grievance form and the supporting documents
to the faculty member, so that the faculty member can respond to the grievance. The
mediator is expected and encouraged to converse with the student, the faculty member,
and any other individual that might need to be included to help resolve the grievance.
The mediator is encouraged to bring those specifically involved in the grievance together
when the mediator believes such a meeting will help resolve the issue. The mediator
has the latitude to request documentation and set deadlines for receipt of such documentation,
as deemed necessary.

If the grievance is resolved, the mediator describes the resolution on the grievance
form and distributes copies of the completed form to the student, faculty member,
the faculty member's immediate administrative superior, and the dean.

If the grievance is not resolved, the mediator indicates "not resolved: requires an
Ad Hoc Committee review" on the grievance form and copies the student, faculty member,
the faculty member's immediate administrative superior, and the dean. At that point,
the mediator is no longer involved. As a courtesy, the mediator would be notified
of the outcome at the conclusion of the process.

Step 3: Ad Hoc Course Grade Grievance Committee

The role of the Ad Hoc Course Grade Grievance Committee is to make a final decision
on all course grade grievances that are not successfully resolved at the mediation
level. The Ad Hoc Course Grade Grievance Committee will hereinafter be referred to
as the Ad Hoc Committee.

Structure of the Ad Hoc Committee

Formation of the Ad Hoc Committee

The dean will form an Ad Hoc Committee (only after step 2 has been completed) within
10 business days of receiving the grievance form. Within these 10 business days, the
dean will send the provost a notice of the committee formation and will send each
committee member the following:

written notice of the committee formation, date of the formal charge, date by which
the committee should have its recommendation formulated, names and contact information
of committee members;

a copy of the grievance file that was established at the mediation level; and

written description of the Ad Hoc Committee function, timeline and process, as excerpted
from the faculty and student handbooks.

Upon confirmation of willingness to serve by the three ad hoc committee members, the
dean will formally charge the committee with the task of reviewing the case and coming
to a conclusion. The conclusion must be decided within 25 business days of the formal
charge of the committee. The dean will inform the student, faculty member and faculty
member's immediate administrative superior in writing about the committee formation
and timeline.

The Ad Hoc Committee will consist of three tenured or tenure-track full-time faculty
members whose primary responsibility is teaching and who have no conflicts of interest
with the case at hand (at least one member of the committee must be a tenured faculty
member). These full-time faculty members need to be within the discipline of the course
grade being grieved, within a closely allied field, or within the school in which
the grade is being grieved (in programs where there are few or no full-time, tenure-track
or tenured faculty, the dean will select faculty from closely allied fields or from
the school in which the grade is being grieved). One of the three members must be
within the discipline or a closely allied field. The chair of the Ad Hoc Committee
must be a tenured faculty member and will be designated as chair by the dean.

Guidelines for the Ad Hoc Committee

Operation of the Ad Hoc Committee

The Ad Hoc Committee chair will convene the committee as soon as possible after each
member receives the charge and grievance file. Committee members will review the file
and meet to discuss the merits of the matter. The chair of the committee will appoint
someone with the sole responsibility of keeping minutes of meetings, and such minutes
will become part of the grievance file. The committee will deliberate and achieve
a simple majority decision as to its recommendation regarding the course grade in
question.

The Ad Hoc Committee may or may not permit new information from those specifically
involved in the grievance. Those specifically involved in the case may also request
permission to submit new information pertinent to the case. The Ad Hoc Committee responds
to the party as to whether or not the committee will allow the new information to
be sent. If allowed, the Ad Hoc Committee may set deadlines for receipt of new information.
All communication between the committee and the parties involved will be in writing.

Decisions of the Ad Hoc Committee are to be determined by simple majority.

Outcome of the Ad Hoc Committee

Ad Hoc Committee Confirms Grade

Within 25 business days of receiving the charge, the chair of the Ad Hoc Committee
must submit a letter to the student, faculty member, faculty member's immediate administrative
superior and the dean. The letter must include:

date of the report

validation of adherence to timeline

facts of the case as considered

rationale for keeping the original grade

names of committee members and each member's original signature on the letter

If a simple majority of the Ad Hoc Committee has determined that the grade stands,
the process ends.

Ad Hoc Committee Requests Grade Change

Within 25 business days of receiving the charge, the chair of the Ad Hoc Committee
must submit a letter to the faculty member, faculty member's immediate administrative
superior, and the dean. The letter must include:

date of the report

validation of adherence to timeline

facts of the case as considered

rationale for recommendation for grade change

names of committee members and each member's original signature on letter

the recommendation of the committee

If the faculty member agrees with the recommendation of the Ad Hoc Committee to change
the grade, the faculty member will communicate in writing his/her agreement to the
ad hoc committee chair, his/her immediate administrative superior, and the student
within five business days of receipt of the letter. Within these same five days, the
faculty member will initiate the grade change following the established procedure.
The Ad Hoc Committee chair will contact the dean and the Ad Hoc Committee members
regarding the grade change.

If the faculty member does not follow the recommendation to change the grade, the
instructor's administrative superior and/or the chair of the Ad Hoc Committee will
provide the dean with the rationale to change the grade, and forward all documents
in the grievance file to the dean for the dean's review. After reviewing the file,
the dean will notify in writing the student, faculty member, the faculty member's
immediate administrative superior, the registrar, the Ad Hoc Committee members and
the provost of his/her final and binding decision and rationale for either changing
or not changing the grade.

If the dean decides a grade change is warranted, the dean will be noted as the individual
assigning the grade. The dean will follow appropriate internal procedures to change
the grade.

Upon conclusion of this process:

All copies of grievance files should be given to the dean.

Approved meeting minutes should be included in the file.

Special Extenuating Circumstances

Additional Timeline Guidelines

If at any point during the process the student does not adhere to the established
deadlines, the grievance shall be considered denied.

The mediator, dean or chair of the ad hoc committee can request additional time due
to unforeseen circumstances (for example: the chair of the ad hoc committee may encounter
difficulty coordinating the schedules of the committee members). The necessity for
such flexibility is solely intended for the purpose of providing a fair and equitable
process. The dean must approve any deviations in timeline, and those specifically
involved in the grievance must be notified in writing of the timeline adjustment and
the rationale.

Deviations from policy: special circumstances may require deviations from the provisions
and guidelines of the course grade grievance policy. In such cases, the dean should
determine adjustments necessary to best ensure a just outcome and one that follows
as closely as possible to the spirit of expeditious and thorough implementation of
the established policy.

Glossary of Terms

A "mediator" can be an administrator or faculty member designated by the dean of each
school or college.